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Melissa Gieras's avatar

This is a great article!! Why didn’t any major democratic group buy ad space to counter Musk’a propaganda?

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Richard M Zhlubb's avatar

The story about Musk buying ads is almost certainly a hoax. All ad slots for the Super Bowl were sold months ago, and the NFL is very reticent to permit anything controversial in Super Bowl ads. The information in this article is incredibly important, but I don't think anyone needs to worry about any Musk ads during the Super Bowl.

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Melissa Gieras's avatar

What I can also say is the people who are loving what the disinformation, misinformation and propaganda is doing to American society, is that it’s making our adversaries very happy. Especially as they want to see us fail. They want the U.S. to fall behind them, and stop being a superior nation. And guess what Trump’s administration is making it very easy for our adversaries objectives to be met, ALL because of his own selfish, self-absorbed dictator desires. And WE, ALL THE AMERICAN society will suffer the most because our rights and freedoms are being attacked

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Morgan's avatar

I hope so Richard..

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George Becker's avatar

I'm looking forward additional information on dusk's ad, especially when it will run, so I can go to the bathroom!

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Feb 10
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Michael's avatar

Nothing like spreading the republicans lies. You do know that link leads to the republican's page, it is not from a legit news source.

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Richard Burger's avatar

It's unlikely true because the ads would be colossally counterproductive for the far right. They aren't so tactically dumb.

I am praying that somehow they happen, but not optimistic.

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Feb 11
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Michael's avatar

Typical MAGA, has no clue. The Superbowl was seen by billions across the world. As for musk having over a billion followers, you might want to look at all them followers, he adds you as a follower. I know this for a fact, because I am not following him, and he has my name as following him. You MAGA cult members are really as dumb as they say you are.

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George Becker's avatar

I think your logic is sound Richard. But these are not normal times and the company Broadcasting the Super Bowl may be especially interesting is gaining favor with the Co-President.

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Feb 9
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P. J. Schuster's avatar

There absolutely is corruption in govt, way too much of it. But it was right wing scotus justices who really threw open the doors for it to become way worse with 2 rulings; 1) Corporations are people 🙄 & 2) Donated money or services is free speech & so should be unlimited. also 🙄 Then this past year ruling that a bribe isn’t really a bribe if you give it to the politicians or other person AFTER they’ve done a favor for you….then it’s just a tip for good service. I mean really?? How fucking stupid. All of those things just invite massive spending on campaigns & gross corruption

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Melissa Gieras's avatar

The author mentioned clearly that it was a rumor and rumors can sometimes be spot on or not. Her intent was to help raise awareness about possible disinformation, misinformation or propaganda being shared at the Super Bowl to help people not be fooled or tricked. So it is a bit too far to say it was a hoax. During Trump’s campaign they used disinformation adverts to reach a massive audience of foot ball fans with lies. And no presidential campaign should have been allowed to spread lies that way, as it’s very harmful.

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Nitin Madhav's avatar

Thanks. I hope you're right!

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pts's avatar

Or more generally, why have people with significant pulpits to speak from (Dems, non-cowardly Rs, independents, other leaders and "leaders") not for a long time been using the prebunking technique Biden illustrated? It's a great way to control the narrative, to pre-empt the harsh reality that, as Jonathan Swift wrote, "Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it." Or as Mark Twain didn't say, "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still pulling its pants on."

A few WAGs as to why not: Complacency. Lack of imagination. Small-mindedness. Mid-20th century thinking in an entirely different 21st-century world.

Past time to give way to new, younger leaders who understand the transformational changes needed.

Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled

The battle outside ragin'

Will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls

For the times, they are a-changin'

(Bob Dylan, approx 1964)

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Morgan's avatar

Great question Melissa.. I’m asking that myself.

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Arthur Bradbury's avatar

No one has learned they have to plan ahead. It's not easy because you have to be able to think like the evil people you are fighting against.

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WJB Motown's avatar

2025 was online for months and there was no planning to take action. That always boggled my mind Now the Trump-Musk-GOP blitzkerig is facing a court system,the only thing attempting to stop this jetstream of fascism.

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P. J. Schuster's avatar

The Democrats did make Project 2025 known & msnbc did a LOT to inform it’s viewers what was in it; but they still didn’t do enough to get it in front of people who don’t watch cable tv. They should have been flooding TikTok & Reddit with info

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WJB Motown's avatar

Sad but true. All the angles were not covered.

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Jeanne Craver's avatar

There was a lot of planning, legally. Look at all the lawsuits filed immediately as administration's actions were taken. It is not simple to prepare a lawsuit; they can't be done that quickly. For the timing to have been that quick, they must have been working on getting groups together and planning for different courses of action, and getting the cases for background lined up.

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Deborah Avalone-King's avatar

Is it being paid for by the government?

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Deborah Avalone-King's avatar

Sounds like grounds for a suit if so!

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Lisa Lee's avatar

Propaganda? There is proof. That makes it a fact. Do you know the difference? Obviously not. Stop living in La La land. You and your cult are a danger to our Republic.

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Michael's avatar

Don't worry, it won't matter what side you are on, we all will be paying a lot more for everything, and we will be able to say, I told you so. As for your republic, look into the history again, this can be found on the internet easily: Statue of Liberty

The idea for the statue was conceived in 1865, when the French historian and abolitionist Édouard de Laboulaye proposed a monument to commemorate the upcoming centennial of U.S. independence (1876), the perseverance of American democracy and the liberation of the nation's slaves

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Michael's avatar

This was the felon's statement from Air Force One, you tell the world how he isn't demented, and no country calls the leader of another country "sir":

"There's a light over the United States. People are happy, more confident. The approval ratings for this country have gone through the sky more than at any time. We've had approval ratings that there's never been anything like it. We've never seen 49 points up, 49 points up. And I think there's a light actually long beyond this country, all over the world. I've been called by other leaders. They said, 'Sir, there's a light over our country right now. There's a light over the world.'"

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Feb 10
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Joel Wizansky's avatar

Do you even know what communist means, or do you just use it as a dirty word? The only real remaining communists are Kim Jung Un and Putin, the president's favorite people.

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P. J. Schuster's avatar

Well that report had my attention until it ran completely off the rails by saying Planned Parenthood advocates for transgender surgeries on children. That is not true & is totally a tactic used by ADF & other anti-choice orgs to make people hate PP. It’s a really disgusting tactic & im sorry you fall for it out of ignorance

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Michael's avatar

That link leads to the republican's words, that is just their way to spread their lies.

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Michael's avatar

There you go again, this is 2 times in the same thread, that link goes to the republican's lies page of the GOV. Here is a free lesson about the democracy: Statue of Liberty

The idea for the statue was conceived in 1865, when the French historian and abolitionist Édouard de Laboulaye proposed a monument to commemorate the upcoming centennial of U.S. independence (1876), the perseverance of American democracy and the liberation of the nation's slaves

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Dave the Spot-on Moron's avatar

Right?! Where are the donations they are constantly begging for going? If money is not going to something to counter Musk, what are they doing to reach EVERYONE, not just other Democrats?

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Jenn Greenhall, MD, PhD's avatar

They should have had their own ads for what Musk's been doing.

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Troy's avatar

Well, cause it’s not propaganda. We are paying for crazy stuff we shouldn’t be. Actually, I think it’s just labels, it says it’s going to some ridiculous place but is actually being funneled back to lawmakers.

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Feb 10
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Michael's avatar

Look who is talking, it got your nerve. Go back to your main socials, and social with the felon and con. By the way, you will be paying a lot more for everything, just like the rest of us.

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Feb 10
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Melissa Gieras's avatar

It is not lefty fake news. If you want to be blind, gullible or stupid about what’s happening to our country right now under Trump’s administration, than you’ll also have to suck up the consequences of that because let me tell you EVERYONE will suffer with the radical abuse of power that is taking place right now. And it will affect ALL AMERICANS eventually, especially those in red states. There is A LOT of disinformation, misinformation and propaganda circulating to confuse and divide Americans about the real truth that is taking place, which is that our democracy is being attacked. That means our rights and freedoms are being attacked. The author the article was raising awareness of disinformation, information and propaganda to help American society not be fooled or tricked by it. That was her main purpose.

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Feb 11
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Michael's avatar

He does not have that many followers, he made everyone that is on that social a follower of him. I know this for a fact, I am not following him, but he has me as following him, the same on the felon's social, he has everyone on that as following him. You MAGA cult members are as dumb as they say, wow. How many times you going to post the same words in this article?

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Feb 11
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Michael's avatar

Go back to school. You really have no clue. Over 1 billion followers? Look at how many people are members of X. stop spreading your dumb lies. Also, the Superbowl was viewed all over the world, that was a lot more than 120 million people. And stop with your cult crap, the real cult members are the MAGA, because they will pay as much as everyone else, the prices will go way up now, thanks to your dumbness.

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Feb 10
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P. J. Schuster's avatar

If we are still talking about Musk, perhaps you should look into all the defense contracts he gets & how bloated they may be?? Also Tesla, Nueralink, & SpaceX would never have survived without the govt subsidies that Musk received. That is a fairly well known fact. But now he wants to cut off any govt tax breaks or subsidies to his competitors??! Doesn’t sound very altruistic to me

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Feb 9
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Michael's avatar

Why are you on this page, shouldn't you be on the felons or the other con's pages. You do realize, you will be paying more for everything like the rest of the people of this country? You will open your eyes, but I have the feeling it will be to late for you to really do anything.

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Feb 9
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David Nantz's avatar

Why are leftists afraid of cutting fat in our bloated government? We are $36 Trillion in debt. We have NO money.

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Erich Bruhn's avatar

Not a “leftist”, a fiscal conservative. But you don’t fix a $36 Trillion debt by firing a few thousand government employees. Especially when you simultaneously plan to give Elon and company a tax cut,

Think about how many little people need to be fired to pay for just $1 Billion tax cut for 1 guy.

You favor balancing the budget? Me too. So, I call your hand. Denounce tax cuts for the rich. Especially for the super rich. I’ll wait.

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David Schultz's avatar

USAID has spent almost a trillion in 3 years with no accountability. Get rid of it. This is a great start.

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Tony Pryor's avatar

No accountability? You must be kidding. You’re just making up stuff. The entire statement is wrong. It’s the best bilateral devel agency in the world, never saw anything like a trillion and there are many checks and balances. If you are going to make stuff up, then at least be accurate or within the range of possibility you simply don’t know what you’re talking about and you’re either being very confused, or somebody’s puppet, or are a troll. Try harder.

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David Schultz's avatar

Bullshit. Another government lifetime employee not providing any numbers. Start being accountable to the taxpayers. All you career puppets are losing your jobs now.

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Cory's avatar

They panic do to the fact the candy shop just got closed down. Can't wait till they find out how much money was wasted threw fema and the red cross for illegal flying into America boarder

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Tony Pryor's avatar

I suspect his boys have already changed code, no proof at all they haven’t and the know nothing abt govt financial systems

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A Colo's avatar

Or maybe you don’t know and we do know people directly affected?

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Feb 9
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Tony Pryor's avatar

You are very badly informed. Please do some reading, 1) about why Musk picked USAID; it is not accidental 2) why the "facts" raised so far on social media, that Trump and Musk use as "evidence", are either easily refutable or are totally fabricated and 3) many millions will get hurt and possibly die, from disease and starvation, and it's happening now. And if we aren't careful this could lead to deaths here, but at least we are putting in competent people like RFK Jr to protect us, oh wait.... If you truly believe what you believe, sadly this thinking will directly put us at risk. No one understands that USAID's budget really is small - people spend more money on dog food in the US than is spent by USAID - but its impact is immense, being the largest and most influential bilateral donor in the world. Or was immense, until this week. Way to go Kim, you really made the world a better place...

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Brad Straight's avatar

Hopefully USAID is just the first of these programs to be vetted. Can you prove that the "facts" and "evidence" is fabricated? Or do you have a predetermined response to any efforts from this administration?

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Elizabeth Warren's avatar

It’s all bullshit dems are crying over this there’s a reason musk is taking care of business

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Jenn Erhardt's avatar

Why are you mad that our leadership is uncovering all the money laundering going on?? It’s our tax-payer money!! Show some gratitude that a president is actually taking a stance to protect us Americans!!

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G Gallo's avatar

THIS !!!! it’s not about red vs Blue . All Americans should be focused on exposing misappropriation of our tax dollars . Any other stance is delusional

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Marc Vaillancourt's avatar

You really believe they're lying about the usaid payments? You must believe the View. How did the teacher wife of a career politician become worth $100mil? IF people start dying because my tax dollars aren't going there then the criminal abusers can take the blame!

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FuckDemocrats's avatar

disease and starvation over tranny training? Over lgbtqrstuv aids? You are a fucking IDIOT!

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Morgan's avatar

I blocked her she’s MAGA

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StacyRI's avatar

Yes block people that have a different opinion than you, how tolerant and inclusive

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David's avatar

Drink the cool-aid of liberals

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GG's avatar

And this is exactly why we will keep winning!

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WeThePeople's avatar

She’s American just like us. We are all Americans. The division must stop. Providing solutions for problems here at home first, like homelessness, is where all our tax paying money should go first. Once we solve our own problems, then we can help the rest of the world. Once we are strong enough to stand up for our own people and solve our own problems, we can then go out and help the rest of humanity.

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Karl's avatar

Of course you did. You obviously can’t handle truth.

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SHLOMOPHOBIC's avatar

youre clearly a faggot

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Deanna Teneti's avatar

So - disinformation is your opinion of the FRAUD Elon has uncovered? Why don’t you list the disgusting amts of money that has been discovered? No one said that ALL ‘aid’ was bad BUT a lot of it is which is robbing taxpayers! Report both sides - all aspects IF you want to be believed.

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GG's avatar

Get over it Tony. Billions in fraud is not small. MAGA all the way.

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Bob's avatar

Audits are necessary for any entity that deals with money. Audits are not new and not new for the federal government. Musk's team itself can't make changes, only suggestions. Democrats resistance just shows they know their bs projects won't survive Congress.

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Roger E Bainbridge's avatar

You couldn't be more wrong....wait and see.

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Jim Smith's avatar

1. either easily refutable or are totally fabricated......prove it.

2. many millions will get hurt and possibly die, from disease and starvation, and it's happening now. And if we aren't careful this could lead to deaths.....now you are worried about people? What about the 300,000 missing kids in the US? This is on our land and you cant even talk about this subject.

3. competent people like RFK Jr to protect us, oh wait.... If you truly believe what you believe, sadly this thinking will directly put us at risk....,...yes because Bill Gates has great intentions for us.......hell he only made billions off us......at least Elon finished college.

4. people spend more money on dog food in the US than is spent by USAID.......if a billion is used for things like DEI training for other countries, transgender comics for overseas, transgender plays for other countries.....while people in the US are homeless........THATS WASTEFUL SPENDING.....Most American dont want DEI so they're wasting money for things the US doesn't support. If you guys are so worried about other countries......join the Red Cross.......but wasting money on things like 70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland, $7,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia, and $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.....wow your priorities are all wrong.

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Anthony's avatar

I know you want so badly to believe this is the truth. I do to. I don’t believe it is though. The hard truth is we’re not there to ask the questions and we’re not in position to be privy to what’s really going on. I used to have complete faith in the system, but I’m betting reeleyes its all a sham. We’ve been bamboozled. I challenge you to take a step back and tell me when the last time was a politician acknowledged your existence and took your advice and actually did anything for you.

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Troy's avatar

Also wrong, none of the essential money is cut. Nobodies gonna starve.

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Feb 10
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Saksham's avatar

Did Zelensky say that? You are saying who knows. But you are just making accusations. You can see the apportioned funding for yourself. It's on public domain. I ask for your source. Condom stuff is preposterous and a blatant lie. A person who can't operate in a real world will believe a claim like that. Why is Musk not making everything public? He literally said thst he would block who is not for Trump administration. Who gave the richest man in the world the authority? DOGE is not a Congressionally approved agency. Musk is not POTUS. He removed officials across government agencies who were investigating him. The DoD investigation and its report on his conduct as a contractor is crushed. Trump adm made sure of that. Musk's whole business strategy relies on being a government contractor. It's the biggest and most grotesque case of conflict of interest. He is in charge and closest to Trump while being one of the biggest government contractor. He is gov contractor and also get to see, change and dismantle the same government infrastructure including the ones which are Congressionally made and can't be undone by executive order. On top of that Musk is not the executive head. DOGE ain't a Congressional agency but supersedes over real center of power and a gross violation of separation of power.

He is not obeying court orders either which is a dereliction of constitutional duty of POTUS. Trump appointed judge order executive to reinstate 2500 workers of USAID. Executive didn't.

He also propagated fake video attributed to E!News which was edited and originated on Russian Telegram and was made widespread by former Russian President. Don Jr and Musk propagated and retweeted that on X.

It's all lies and propaganda and half truths. Moreover, one government agency or dept (DOGE ain't even that) can't share personal or sensitive information with the other department without the Congressional authority. Musk just did that. Effectively, Trump. 'Cause he is working under Trump's authority.

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RTC's avatar

Kamala was not voted in as a presidential candidate. What’s your point? If there is mass corruption, any party that finds it deserves a pat on the back.

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Tyler Durden's avatar

lol. That is funny, but Musk doesn't have the authority to actually CHANGE anything. All DOGE does is provide transparency, it will still be incumbent upon Congress and the president to actually cut the funding.

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A Colo's avatar

Then why is the grain purchased from Kansas farmers stuck in port and no medicine getting to TB patients and hiv clinics. And why did they threaten humanitarian aid workers not to speak to anyone and delete all communications from in country partners without replying?

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tecolote42's avatar

Nuts. Get a grip

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Melissa Gieras's avatar

Are you for MAGA?

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Joel Wizansky's avatar

She is, as witnessed by the inane notion that domestic political actors are financed by USAID. Of course she is just trolling, she knows this makes no sense, but fact and logic don't matter to MAGA, only which 'side' you're on. She is unknowingly on the side of the true elites currently pillaging our country.

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Morgan's avatar

I blocked her. I have enough of them on X I don’t need it here where I’m paying for Substack

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Cory's avatar

Cry more

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Feb 10
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Morgan's avatar

Ok

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Kim Tison's avatar

Domestic political legislators do the bidding of WEF,WHO etc. and receive huge kickbacks. Do you really not know that they

are bribed with the kind of $ that enables them to pay for multiple mansions, hide gold bars in their closets, fly round the world on Lolita Expresses, and provide cover for perpetrators of assassinations?

Or do you deliberately hide your complicity so your conscience won’t bother you?

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Joel Wizansky's avatar

You state as facts things you've heard and read on propaganda outlets. They aren't. They're lies. Remember, Trump's mantra - oft-stated - is that if you repeat something enough times people will believe you, no matter if it's true or not. He creates his own imaginary world, his enabler outlets repeat it, and you gladly believe it. But it's still just a web of lies.

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Caryl's avatar

TRUTH is now DEAD.

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Gregg Powell's avatar

YES!

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Erich Bruhn's avatar

Maybe “American forever”, or even “The Constitution forever”

MAGA is a cult loyal to one guy.

That’s not American thinking,

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Jenn Erhardt's avatar

Just saved over 50 billion slats in 17 days!!!! Go Trump

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Fred's avatar

Bullshit ,we are American and Trump is just one of us.

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Tina's avatar

MAGA is not a cult. You are brainwashed. MAGA is a movement to save America. The profit Kim Clements predicted everything that is happening now starting in 2013 up to his death. This is GOD’s plan.

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Timothy's avatar

Many Maga are people whom think short term gain and not of the larger long term consequences & pain! If all you have in your life is to hate on others and people actually helping others, you have a sad life brought on by your own hurtful choices! Morality is shown by actions that help or hurt people. You seem to choose to hurt people! You are your actions and words!

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William Wallace's avatar

Hey dingdong..........it's 100% proven now that USAID funded all the radical progressive media narrative and Trump Destruction.......catch up and get out of your echo chamber. Billions directly tied to running Politico, NYT, BBC etc etc through USAID.......these media companies now cannot pay their bills.

I'm a Libertarian, watch the Dave Smith Podcast.....check out Nicole Shanahan (Sergey Brin's wife {google founder})......check out Ron Paul's X account etc etc. Just wake up and get out of your echo chamber, you're believing the psyops.

Also research the Smith-Mundt Act and why it was founded in 1948, then research who got rid of it in 2013 when all this shadow funding really picked up steam by progressives to destroy traditional american values and the Constitutional Republic.

In the end this will be bigger than WikiLEaks exposing the corrupt Bush/Cheney era, bigger than the Iran-Contra affair and bigger than the Hillary email leaks of 2016.

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Joel Wizansky's avatar

So we should get out of our 'echo chamber' of fact-based media (= people who get fired if they're caught making things up), and believe what you hear from your various political propaganda outlets? That makes a lot of sense.

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Marc Vaillancourt's avatar

No. The liberal mentality is very self centered. They only seek to advance they're agenda without consideration for others and the consequences. They do this without facts but by shaming others and blaming others of the very things they themselves do.

Ex..trans "rights"

....free speech

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Zach's avatar

Hey stupid, go cry more

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Shannon V. Simon's avatar

Dems should use the many VERY POSITIVE public comments Marco Rubio and Ivanka made about U.S. AID a couple years ago and make their own Super Bowl commercial. They’re both public figures and spoke out while in public service positions. Their comments — especially Rubio — are right on about the benefits of the program to millions in need… and to U.S. soft power. JFK made a speech about it when he created the program, which would be great to use with the Rubio and Ivanka public comments praising US AID.

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Jeff M Rzentkowski's avatar

That's before the knew it was corrupted.

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Robert Simmers's avatar

Unfortunately, the Democrats all seem to think that getting themselves reelected is the most important way to fight off Stump and Mush - otherwise known as S&M. That is why we are getting all the messages from them asking for money. But I agree with you. They should be spending money on effective advertising showing Americans how S&M are wrong; who they are hurting over 1% ! of the budget; and how those such as Rubio and Ivanka have changed their positions. Those facts will also help them get reelected. The Dems sat on their hands for two weeks when they could have been messing up all the confirmations in the Senate. I want to write to Elizabeth Warren and tell her she should have EARNED my contribution by doing something to slow down the confirmations; not start begging me now for money.

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Tony Pryor's avatar

I hear you. We are pretty busy but that first eeek took the people in Congress by surprise. But the DMZ pols have been very focused.

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Tony Pryor's avatar

By the way, don’t underestimate what happens when you’re scared to death. When we went to the demonstration on Wednesday, everyone was careful to cover up their face because we were told they had facial recognition software going, which I think in fact they did. My buddy who was still working at least for a couple of days there couldn’t go because she was told by her supervisor that if she did go and they picked her out of the crowd, she’d be fired. It’s pretty tough time. And as I commented before, it does feel a little bit like we’re in Vichy France in more ways than one…

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Jeff M Rzentkowski's avatar

They can I.D. you by simply seeing your eyes. They thought about that ahead of time when they wrote the program. Masks don't help.

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Robert Simmers's avatar

Please excuse my ignorance, Sir, but are you a member of Congress, or do you work in Congress, since you used the expression "We"? What do you mean by the "DMZ" pols?

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Twcwumj's avatar

Lol. Huge audiance your worthless, left sla ted, democrat propoganda adticle got lol. I see why you normally dont write on sundays, if gour readership sucks this bad during the week im suprised u write at all. Maybe your pissed your losing your usaid funding too. Lol

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Tony Pryor's avatar

Oh we are! Rolled those out and using them up on the hill. So much fun, in these bleak times.

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Hannah S Wilder Wiseheart's avatar

This is extremly important. I was one of three top specialists in the 1960s on Soviet propaganda and disinformation and my dissertation at MIT's department of Political Science was published on this topic. Even a two sided presentation can have an " inoculation" effect. Thank you for this, Asha. Look under the name Gayle Durham Hollander. Sorry, it was rather dry and academic in tone.

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Asha Rangappa's avatar

Amazing!

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William Hamilton's avatar

This entire article is misinformation my guy

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Brad Straight's avatar

So, all of the Dem noise about Hunters laptop wasn't propaganda? Sorros and Fauci haven't spread VERY damaging misinformation/disinformation? Remember "Biden is sharp as a tack"?

Just because USAID does do some good, doesn't mean that it is untouchable as far as reform goes. If only a small portion of the programs identified as waste that USAID has funded are true, the whole system needs to be killed and rebuilt with financial integrity.

Too many in Congress from both sides of the isle have been using USAID and other similar programs to launder money. How is it possible for many of them to be multimillionaires on Legislative pay? Insider trading, yep that is a big one.

All Congressional programs need to be reevaluated and have the bureaucracy and redundancy eliminated. To think otherwise makes you part of the problem.

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Tony Pryor's avatar

Asha: I do love the prebunking idea. And in fact there are a lot of people working on this. There are many, many friends of USAID out there; it is a much larger community than one might think. But frankly everyone is also very, very scared. Sort of like being in Vichy France, and yet it's our own country. But there is a lot of paddling going on beneath the surface. So a question for you. I've passed your text to some of those in the broad community doing battle on the disinformation out there, and I suspect they will use your approach. But as long as this gets out first, I was thinking of reaching out to this broad community of AID friends who will be watching the game with their friends and getting to them real-time responses to the actual commercials. I don't know what the latter will say but I can guess, and what the Admin has said so far is totally wrong and incredibly misleading, Without the prebunking we don't stand a chance but once that herbicide has done its job I think we still need to address the specific lie. I fully agree that a prebunked lie is not as likely to grow, but the last thing said is usually the last thing remembered. We can do both, but wanted to get you opinion.

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Asha Rangappa's avatar

Yes, the tactics are not mutually exclusive! Of course we must counter with facts after the lie is told, as well. Thank you for your efforts.

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William Hamilton's avatar

What "facts"? You've made an awful lot of claims about a AD you've never even see seen and you yourself admit may not even exist!!! How about you admit you're a shill.....not a journalist. You're a glorified activist and you would do or say anything to push your extremist progressive agenda.

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Jane Amity's avatar

Lies lies lies... He will be spreading the truth

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Bigballz's avatar

Lmao just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's misinformation

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Jesse (Ken) Hudson's avatar

Asha, thanks for this heads-up. I will share across Red KY and beyond.

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Travis's avatar

Heads up on what exactly? Doesn't even know what's going to be said and already crying disinformation.. typical

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Susan from OC's avatar

Facts matter, thank you!

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Steve Fredrick's avatar

I see parallels between Musk’s actins and statement, and those of Goebbels prior and during WWII.

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Hans's avatar
Feb 9Edited

Comparing every unpopular policy move to the Third Reich is a classic case of reductio ad Hitlerum. When all you have is a hammer, every nail looks like a Nazi. This may have been an effective rhetorical strategy through the 2010s, but it's lost its punch, and we need to move on from it. Someone could say that FDR’s New Deal measures were nothing more than authoritarian overreach. We can't resort to simplistic and misleading analogies. And I'm not just saying this because my name is Hans.

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WJB Motown's avatar

Who give a sh%t if your name is Hans. Musk gave a nazi salute big time. Study any book on the rise of Hitler and Trump-Musk are following the playbook almost word for word. A nobody would say the FDRs New Deal ws authooritarian.

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Hans's avatar
Feb 9Edited

And yet, there are schools of thought that insist otherwise (re: FDR). Musk's salute was nothing more than an emotional provocation—designed to trigger a hysterical, knee-jerk reaction from those more prone to name-calling than serious policy analysis. His gesture was entirely divorced from any genuine allegiance to national socialism. Stop taking the bait.

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Caryl's avatar

I liken his gesture to Dr. Strangelove's alien hand syndrome.

MuskRAT's true self revealed!

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WJB Motown's avatar

Just imagine if President Biden did a nazi salute.......Fox News would be running the story 24/7 for days........but no......Trumpers think that is just picking your nose.

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Roz's avatar
Feb 10Edited

Hans' comment is word for word a duplicate of a post I already blocked a MAGAt for.

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William Hamilton's avatar

This guy wouldnt know a Nazi if the he had a boot on his neck. Its childish and insensitive to those who suffered under ACTUAL Nazis, not just awwwww I dont like the decisions being made by an elected official. Id just as soon see these people arrested for using this kind of language

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William Hamilton's avatar

Everyone that I disagree with are Nazis....a childs view on political discourse

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Lauren's avatar

A bit of prebunking...if the add airs: It costs each American taxpayer less than 1 dime per year.

Caroline Kennedy was on Colbert last week talking about USAID. I can't help but wonder if she knew about the ad.

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Lupe Williams's avatar

Excellent information. It's a MUST to call the republican senators and representatives and get to the streets to protest

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Helen Johanna's avatar

Brilliant! I will share this as widely as I possibly can. Thank you for this, and for the explanation, and for all the clarifying details (bullet points.)

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Susan H's avatar

You guys are really scared, Asha must be on the money 😎👍

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David Riordan's avatar

Well, you're a liar. The funding for the programs you mention was never paused. So, the real question is why you promote that disinformation and ignore the garbage misuse of American tax dollars DOGE did uncover. I don't even have to mention the billions of dollars and where they were misspent; everyone with half a brain has already seen. It's no wonder why you guys lost and will continue to do so until you get honest. Pathological lying is when you continue to lie when everyone knows you're lying - convinced you can still pull it off.

We should not be funding trans comic books in Columbia, LGBTQ musicals in Ireland, or any of the rest. We're still feeding the hungry, defending the weak, and bringing justice for the murdered ... or at least we are again, now.

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Leigh Horne's avatar

Agreed. But, given how difficult it can be to engage others with statistics and facts alone, how about someone (you, dear?) provide us some juicy bits about Musk's associations with the likes of Russian and Chinese dictatorial regimes as well as neo-Nazi parties in Germany and elsewhere? Plus his past support for Aparthied in South Africa. There must be more. We need a pithy and memorable short narrative. It would be nice to have a crowd-pleasing anti-Musk chant as well. Pretty please...?

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Jeff M Rzentkowski's avatar

Did you ever think of doing your own homework? Didn't think so.

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Travis's avatar

Your wrong on every level. Do your own research and you'll see.

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